Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act

A major driver of skyrocketing medical costs remains an elephant in the living room in various meanings of that term. I mean the role Republicans played in 1986 in effectively socializing medicine with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). No one seems to want to touch this despite its central role in socializing medical costs. I admit that Medicare and Medicaid also play a huge role. But, really, what was Reagan thinking when he signed this monstrosity into law?

If the federal government wants to issue such a mandate, it should fund that mandate.

This is what I call "therapeutic legislation," and it has cost us all dearly.

Now I hear Republicans want to kick the Obamacare can down the road rather than tackle the hard questions it raises.

We are doomed.

Secure our nation's borders, Mr. Trump, and keep the illegals out of our medical system as a good start to health care reform.

Politicians can't bring themselves to take away a benefit of any kind, whether it is social security, medicare, medicaid, or free emergency room treatment for the poor.

The country needs shift from seeing some kinds of things as "entitlements" - why should anyone be 'entitled' to subsized health care? We don't have subsidized shoes. Real equality under the law means that rich and poor would be treated alike. And that wouldn't allow the robin hood kind of redistribution that progressives want.

The other big, background idea that is a disaster is that "government should fix problems." The proper purpose of government is just to defend (and retaliate) against threats to initiate force, the initiation of force, fraud and theft. Doing that requires a minimum amount of structure (courts, laws, military, law enforcement) and no more.

At this point, I'll shamelessly plug my tiny book on the Nature of Government. About 80 pages and $2.99 for the digital version. Just search Amazon.com under "steve wolfer"